The epic successor to one of the most important books of the century: at once a retelling of global history, a scathing critique of contemporary politics, and a bold proposal for a new and
fairer economic system
Thomas Piketty’s bestselling Capital in the Twenty-First Century galvanized global debate about inequality. In this audacious follow-up, Piketty challenges us to revolutionize
how we think about politics, ideology, and history. He exposes the ideas that have sustained inequality for the past millennium, reveals why the shallow politics of right and left are failing us
today, and outlines the structure of a fairer economic system.
Our economy, Piketty observes, is not a natural fact. Markets, profits, and capital are all historical constructs that depend on choices. Piketty explores the material and ideological interactions
of conflicting social groups that have given us slavery, serfdom, colonialism, communism, and hypercapitalism, shaping the lives of billions. He concludes that the great driver of human progress
over the centuries has been the struggle for equality and education, and not, as often argued, the assertion of property rights or the pursuit of stability. The new era of extreme inequality that
has derailed that progress since the 1980s, he shows, is partly a reaction against communism, but it is also the fruit of ignorance, intellectual specialization, and our drift toward the dead-end
politics of identity.
Once we understand this, we can begin to envision a more balanced approach to economics and politics. Piketty argues for a new “participatory” socialism, a system founded on an ideology of
equality, social property, education, and the sharing of knowledge and power. Capital and Ideology is destined to be one of the indispensable books of our time, a work that will
not only help us understand the world, but that will change it.

Summary

Summary

A New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice of the Week

An Amazon Best Book of the Month

An Audible Pick of New Releases

A Kirkus Reviews Pick of Recommended Bestsellers

The epic successor to one of the most important books of the century: at once a retelling of global history, a scathing critique of contemporary politics, and a bold proposal for a new and
fairer economic system

Thomas Piketty’s bestselling Capital in the Twenty-First Century galvanized global debate about inequality. In this audacious follow-up, Piketty challenges us to revolutionize
how we think about politics, ideology, and history. He exposes the ideas that have sustained inequality for the past millennium, reveals why the shallow politics of right and left are failing us
today, and outlines the structure of a fairer economic system.

Our economy, Piketty observes, is not a natural fact. Markets, profits, and capital are all historical constructs that depend on choices. Piketty explores the material and ideological interactions
of conflicting social groups that have given us slavery, serfdom, colonialism, communism, and hypercapitalism, shaping the lives of billions. He concludes that the great driver of human progress
over the centuries has been the struggle for equality and education, and not, as often argued, the assertion of property rights or the pursuit of stability. The new era of extreme inequality that
has derailed that progress since the 1980s, he shows, is partly a reaction against communism, but it is also the fruit of ignorance, intellectual specialization, and our drift toward the dead-end
politics of identity.

Once we understand this, we can begin to envision a more balanced approach to economics and politics. Piketty argues for a new “participatory” socialism, a system founded on an ideology of
equality, social property, education, and the sharing of knowledge and power. Capital and Ideology is destined to be one of the indispensable books of our time, a work that will
not only help us understand the world, but that will change it.

Editorial Reviews

Editorial Reviews

“If inequality has become the subject of intense public attention, a good deal of the credit goes to the French economist Thomas Piketty.” —New Yorker

“A global overview to understand the most pressing economic and social issues of our time.” —New York Times Book Review

“In an election cycle where the political discourse has been thoroughly shaped by Piketty’s work, his new book feels especially urgent.” —GQ magazine

“Piketty explains why this could be the moment for a turn to equality, and which policies could make that happen.” —Financial Times (London)

“The world’s most famous economist sets out the case for socialism. Thomas Piketty’s new book may prove as famous—and controversial—as its predecessor.” —The Economist (London)

“Outlines a fairer economic system for the world.” —Management Today

“[A] wide-ranging historical survey of ‘inequality regimes’―dogmas that justify hierarchies of wealth and power…This ambitious manifesto will stir controversy but also cement Piketty’s position as the Left’s leading economic theorist.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Thomas Piketty’s magisterial global and connected history takes us on a whirlwind journey across the world during the past 500 years to show how shifting ideas and politics have shaped a wide variety of inequality regimes. Fully embracing the power of historical analysis, Capital and Ideology emboldens us to reimagine what is possible today. Enormously rich in argument and evidence, this tour de force by one of the most influential thinkers of our age is a must-read for anyone grappling with the dilemmas of our present.” —Sven Beckert, author of Empire of Cotton: A Global History

“A book of remarkable clarity and dynamism. Drawing lessons from a breathtaking survey of different historical experiences, it teaches us that nothing is inevitable, that there exist a whole range of possibilities between hypercapitalism and the disasters of the communist experience. It’s up to us to make our future. Let’s roll up our sleeves.” —Esther Duflo, Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences

Reviews

Reviews

Author

Author Bio: Thomas Piketty

Thomas Piketty is professor of economics at the Paris School of Economics and Centennial professor at the London School of Economics. His book Capital in the Twenty-First Century,
which argues that when the rate of return on capital exceeds the rate of economic growth, the resulting unequal distribution of wealth causes instability, is a #1 New York Times bestseller
and has global sales so far of more than two million copies.

Titles by Author

Details

Details

Format:

CD

Format:

MP3 CD

Available Formats :

CD, MP3 CD

Category:

Nonfiction/Business & Economics

Publisher:

Harvard University Press

Publisher:

Harvard University Press

CDs:

39

CDs:

4

Runtime:

48.95

ISBN:

9780674247710

ISBN:

9780674247680

Purchased:

0 copies

Purchased:

0 copies

Audience:

Adult

Language:

English

AE Catalog ID:

N/A

AE Catalog ID:

N/A

To listen to this title you will need our latest app

Due to publishing rights this title requires DRM and can only be listened to in the Audio Editions app

DRM (Digital Rights Management) is a copyright protection for digital media. While much of Audio Editions’s content is DRM free, and allows for usage across platforms, select products on Audio Editions are required by publishers to have DRM protected files. These products will be playable exclusively on the AudioEditions.com apps, available for iOS and Android devices.